Proverbs 20
1599 Geneva Bible
20 1 Wine [a]is a mocker, and strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby, is not wise.
2 (A)The fear of the King is like the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him unto anger [b]sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is a man’s honor to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 The slothful will not plow, because of winter: therefore shall he beg in summer, but have nothing.
5 The counsel in the heart of [c]man is like deep waters: but a man that hath understanding, will draw it out.
6 Many men will boast every one of his own goodness: but who can find a faithful man?
7 He that walketh in his integrity, is just, and blessed shall his children be after him.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment, [d]chaseth away all evil with his eyes.
9 (B)Who can say, I have made mine heart clean, I am clean from my sin?
10 Divers [e]weights, and divers measures, both [f]these are even abomination unto the Lord.
11 A child also is known by his doings, whether his word be pure and right.
12 The Lord hath made both these, even the ear to hear, and the eye to see.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come unto poverty: open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone apart, he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of precious stones: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (C)Take his [g]garment, that is surety for a stranger, and a pledge of him for the stranger.
17 The bread of deceit is sweet to a man: but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Establish thy thoughts by counsel; and by counsel make war.
19 He that goeth about as a slanderer, discovereth (D)secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 (E)He that curseth his father or his mother, his light shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not thou, (F)I will recompense evil, but wait upon the Lord, and he shall save thee.
23 (G)Diverse weights are an abomination unto the Lord, and deceitful balances are not good.
24 (H)The steps of man are ruled by the Lord: how can a man then understand his own way?
25 It is a destruction for a man to [h]devour that which is sanctified, and after the vows to inquire.
26 A wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the [i]wheel to turn over them.
27 The [j]light of the Lord is the breath of man, and searcheth all the bowels of the belly.
28 (I)Mercy and truth preserve the king: for his throne shall be established with mercy.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, and the glory of the aged is the gray head.
30 [k]The blueness of the wound serveth to purge the evil, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 By wine here is meant him that is given to wine, and so by strong drink.
- Proverbs 20:2 Putteth his life in danger.
- Proverbs 20:5 It is hard to find out: for it is as deep waters, whose bottom cannot be found: yet the wise man will know a man either by his words or manners.
- Proverbs 20:8 Where righteous judgment is executed, there sin ceaseth, and vice dare not appear.
- Proverbs 20:10 Hebrew, stone and stone, ephah and ephah.
- Proverbs 20:10 Read Prov. 16:11.
- Proverbs 20:16 Teach him wit, that he cast not himself rashly into danger.
- Proverbs 20:25 That is, to apply it, or take it to his own use, which was appointed to God’s, and then inquire how they may be exempted from the fault.
- Proverbs 20:26 Which was a kind of punishment then used.
- Proverbs 20:27 The word of God giveth life unto man, and causeth us to see and try the secret of our dark hearts, Heb. 4:12.
- Proverbs 20:30 Sharp punishment that pierceth even the inward parts, is profitable for the wicked, to bring them to amendment.
Proverbs 20
English Standard Version
20 (A)Wine is a mocker, (B)strong drink a brawler,
and whoever (C)is led astray by it is not wise.[a]
2 The terror of a king is like (D)the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger (E)forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to (F)keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 (G)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
(H)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man's heart is like (I)deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man (J)proclaims his own steadfast love,
but (K)a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who (L)walks in his integrity—
(M)blessed are his children after him!
8 (N)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
(O)winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 (P)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 (Q)Unequal[b] weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child (R)makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.[c]
12 (S)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
(T)the Lord has made them both.
13 (U)Love not sleep, lest you (V)come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have (W)plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of (X)costly stones,
(Y)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (Z)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and (AA)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.[d]
17 (AB)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of (AC)gravel.
18 (AD)Plans are established by counsel;
by (AE)wise guidance (AF)wage war.
19 Whoever (AG)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with (AH)a simple babbler.[e]
20 (AI)If one curses his father or his mother,
(AJ)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 (AK)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, (AL)“I will repay evil”;
(AM)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 (AN)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and (AO)false scales are not good.
24 A man's (AP)steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only (AQ)after making vows.
26 A wise king (AR)winnows the wicked
and drives (AS)the wheel over them.
27 (AT)The spirit[f] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
(AU)searching all (AV)his innermost parts.
28 (AW)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his (AX)throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but (AY)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (AZ)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean (BA)the innermost parts.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 Or will not become wise
- Proverbs 20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
- Proverbs 20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
- Proverbs 20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
- Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
- Proverbs 20:27 Hebrew breath
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
